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Wednesday, November 12, 2014

Green Tomato Jam

As we’ve moved into autumn here in St. Louis, our garden has continued to put out late-season goodies. Including quite a few tomatoes that didn’t have time to ripen before the summer sun faded.

We happily harvested our green tomatoes—but then had to figure out what to do with them. Fried green tomatoes? Nah, been there, done that. Curried Green Tomatoes? Terrific, but we did that last year. We wanted something really different.

So we decided to make Green Tomato Jam. It’s wonderful with biscuits or on toast. And you can even use it as a “sauce” or garnish on meat (it’s spectacular with pork roast).

But we have to make a confession here: Our favorite way to consume Green Tomato Jam is straight from the jar. By the spoonful. Take that as a warning.

Recipe: Green Tomato Jam

There are lots of recipes for green tomato jam, and all are pretty similar. Basically, every recipe contains green tomatoes (natch), plus sugar, some citrus for acid, and a bit of flavoring.

The recipe we like best is one we found on Lynne Rossetto Kasper’s Splendid Table website. BTW, the link takes you not only to her recipe for green tomato jam, but also to instructions for a tart you can make with the jam.

This recipe takes about 10 minutes of prep time, plus 40 or more minutes of cooking time. The recipe yields 4 to 5 cups.

We don’t preserve the jam, just refrigerate it. It should keep for a month or longer in the fridge. You can also freeze the jam.

1 stick of cinnamon (optional but tasty; see Notes for additional spice ideas)

Procedure

Wash the green tomatoes and dry them. Core the tomatoes (remove the stem ends) and cut them into ½-inch pieces.

Place the cut-up tomatoes (and any juice that might have escaped) into a large bowl made of a nonreactive substance (stainless or glass). Add the sugar and toss together. Cover with plastic wrap and leave at room temperature overnight (or up to 24 hours).

Next day: Pour the tomato mixture into a large, wide Dutch oven or cooking pot (one that holds 6 quarts or more; you want a pot that is wider rather than taller to help speed evaporation of excess water from the jam).

Zest the lemons (you can use a zester, although we find it easier to use a microplane grater). If necessary, mince the zest until it’s finely shredded. Cut away the white pith of the lemons and discard. Seed the lemons and cut them into small pieces.

Add the lemon (zest and pieces) to the pot with the tomatoes. Add the salt, pepper, and cinnamon stick. Over high stovetop heat, bring the tomato mixture to a boil. Then reduce the heat so the jam is cooking at a moderate simmer, and set a timer for 40 minutes. Stir the pot from time to time with a wooden spoon while the mixture is cooking. You want to cook away the water in the tomatoes—you’re aiming for a mixture that is translucent, with thick juices.

At the 40-minute mark, check the temperature of the tomato mixture with an instant-read thermometer or a candy thermometer. The jam should reach a temperature of 215 or even 220 degrees F (see Notes for more on temperature). If you don’t have a thermometer, test for doneness by spooning a tiny bit of jam onto a chilled plate. If it runs, cook the jam a bit longer. If it doesn’t run, it’s done.

Once the jam is cooked, take it off the heat and remove the cinnamon stick. We usually pour the jam into a clean bowl at this point so it can cool more quickly.

When the jam is cool, ladle it into clean glass jars (in a pinch, you can use plastic containers). Cover the containers and refrigerate.

Notes

Kasper suggests that green tomato jam should be done at a temperature of 210 degrees F (because if you heat it higher than that, the flavor won’t be quite as bright). In our experience, however, the jam sets better at a slightly higher temperature, so we recommend 215 or even 220 degrees F. Yes, you may lose a few flavor nuances, but you’ll be sure that the jam will set up properly.

Cinnamon adds a pleasant (but subtle) note to the jam. If you want a more assertive taste, you may want to double the amount we specify.

Some recipes for green tomato jam add a bit of ginger (you can try a piece an inch or so long, peeled and finely minced).

Or add a few whole cloves (fish them out of the jam in Step 7 when you remove the cinnamon stick).

Or try a whole vanilla bean (again, remove it in Step 7).

If you want a spicier jam, you could add some cayenne pepper to the mix—say ½ teaspoon or so.

Kosher salt is more coarse than regular table salt, so it’s less salty by volume. If you’re substituting table salt for Kosher, always use less—about half as much.

Green tomatoes look a bit like tomatillos. But their flavors are quite different, so you can’t really substitute one for the other.

Where to get green tomatoes? The best place is from your own home garden, if you have one. Or beg some from your neighbor’s garden. Farmers’ markets are another good source—they’ll often have them right at the beginning of the season, or at the end. We’ve never seen them at the supermarket, however.

Jam Today, Jam Tomorrow

“This Green Tomato Jam is wonderful,” said Mrs. Kitchen Riffs, spreading some on a homemade biscuit.

“Terrific flavor,” I said, munching. “And a great way to use the last of our tomatoes.”

“In fact, about the only tomatoes we managed to harvest,” said Mrs K R. “Since the squirrels got the rest of them this year.”

“Don’t remind me,” I groaned. “They chewed right through the protective netting I put up, and swiped most of our ripe ones!”

“They did put you in a bit of a jam, didn’t they?” said Mrs K R, taking a bite.

“They did,” I replied. “But I’ve got some ideas to jam their channels next year.”

Hi Rachel, you can of course make this with early season tomatoes, but that's so hard to do -- one wants them to ripen, and in a hurry, to enjoy their glorious flavor! So I'd wait until the end of the season too. :-) Thanks for the comment.

Oh, how I wish I'd had this recipe a couple of weeks back! The farmstead was brimming with all kinds of green tomatoes. I'll have to go by and see if they still have some. I love tomato jams and chutneys and like you said, they are great straight out of the jar! What a gorgeous colour on the jam as well. Lovely recipe, John! Hope you keeping warm, I'm sure St Louis is seeing the effects of the weather we have here. It's been snowing since yesterday and we're at 5F right now.

Hi John, I have never had Green Tomato Jam, I know I must be missing something delicious. Now I have a good recipe to try it. This jam sounds so good, if you said you eat it from the jar. This one I have to try. I enjoy jam on biscuits so this one is very different! I don't have a garden, but I have to check with my farmers market on the weekend. Great post and of course I love the "jams" that you and Mrs. Riffs get into! Thanks for sharing and an entertaining post..Have a fun week and weekend! :) Dottie

Hi Pat, fried greet tomatoes are really good! Haven't put them on the blog, but should someday. Tomato jam with red tomatoes is really good too -- this is similar, but of course quite different at the same time. :-) Thanks for the comment.

Fabulous recipe for green tomatoes... ours are only just coming on, being the start of summer... I'm curious, what does the jam taste like? You might like to try the recipe for green tomato salad that I have on Good Things... it's a cracker... who'da thunk...

Lucky you John, that your garden lasted so long. We had killing frosts a couple of weeks ago…the only thing left in my garden are my herbs that I keep covering but with lows in the 20's and highs only in the 30's in a couple of days that really is the end of my garden for this year. I can just imagine how good one of your jam was on a warm biscuit. :)

Your timing is impeccable! We picked all of the tomatoes yesterday because we're getting a hard freeze tonight along with the rest of the country. I pulled out the largest 8 tomatoes and will be making fried green tomatoes (something I have to do at least once a year or else Bobby might find another wife. :)). However, I'm sitting here looking at another 10 pounds of green tomatoes. A jam is absolutely perfect!!! Love the way the lemon is used, chopped up and thrown in to the pot. Thanks for such a timely post!

Tomato season seems like a zillion years agao, red, green or otherwise. I'm sorry the squirrels got to yours John. I was pretty lucky but if it weren't for your warning, I could have very well been in a jam myself:)

I do enjoy a nice plate of fried green tomatoes every once in a while. I'm sure I would love this tomato jam. I do believe I have a recipe around here for green tomato jam pie. I should try to find it and keep both recipes; yours and it, in a safe place:)

Hehe, you and Mrs Riffs are very funny. How lovely to grow your own tomatoes but what a shame the squirrels thought they were for them. We don't have squirrels here in Oz but we have possums in abundance and this year they destroyed my herb garden - there's nothing left of it! I had never heard of green tomatoes until that movie came out, 'Fried Green Tomatoes' and then I thought they were frying unripened tomatoes! I had no idea there was a variety of tomatoes that didn't turn red. Your tomato jam sounds great and I love how it can be eaten straight from the jar with a spoon xx

such a glossy,rich and flavor loaded jam....we love green tomatoes anything...converted into a cinnamon spiced jam...why not?...that warning of irresistible joy while one has this jam spoonfuls out of jar is something really needed at our home....it won't cease all from savoring spoons of it though....this is so going to be a favorite at home,thanks :-)

Oh this brings memories of my Mom. We always had green tomatoes. Mom got VERY inventive about using them. Half of our ketchup supply was green. But you know she never made jam. Probably because we had so much fruit jam----or more likely she didn't think of it. Isn't a lovely color too. I can see it on a rectangle of cream cheese with crackers and on bruschetta combo.

Your green tomato jam sounds fantastic. The fresh ginger idea is very appealing to me and I would use it on cornbread muffins. Thanks for a great idea and recipe. I'll also be checking out the Splendid Table link. --Rocquie

What a great recipe! I've seen things like this before, but now I'll have to be sure to plant tomatoes next year. This is the first year that I've done nothing! You don't think rabbits eat tomatoes do you?

Sounds mazing. A little, a little tart and a little aromatic from the cinnamon. What a fun recipe and I am sure if you don't keep eating by the spoonfuls you will be busy creating many new dishes both sweet and savory with your new green tomato jam. Just shared!

This looks so good, John! i love finding new ways to use green tomatoes as we inevitably always have some. I just pickled a bunch, but will have to pin this for next year. I love the idea of making a tart from it, too.

Hi Maureen, can't keep us out of the kitchen. :-) My mom used to make red tomato jam, but we never have -- need to do that sometime. That is, if the squirrels ever leave us enough tomatoes! Thanks for the comment.

Yum yum I bet this goes so well with any kind of bread! I only discovered green tomato the last few years or so and I have been a fan since. Would love to try this next time I buy green tomatoes. Thanks for sharing!

Your green tomato jam is as pretty as an apple in a jam. Seriously, such a gorgeous green glow one would not equate with tomatoes. Very nice indeed and an all purpose flavour. I would top your green tomato jam packed biscuit with a little ricotta. You have done well to use the last of the tomatoes creatively (don't you hate wasting the end of the year produce? I do :D)

Until very recently I didn't even know you could do anything with reen tomatoes. But I went to a tomato farm in Norway and bought a couple of green tomato products. One of which being green tomato jam. I haven't used it yet but you just made me very curious. We have a tiny amount of tomatoes, so not yet enough for making jam ourselves but maybe next year!

Hi Simone, green tomato jam has such an interesting flavor! You'll enjoy the jam you bought, I'm sure. If you have just a few green tomatoes, fried green tomatoes are the way to go, IMO (assuming the tomatoes are fairly large). Thanks for the comment.

That's quite a smart way to use green tomatoes which didn't get the time to ripe. When I read the titel I had to instantly think of pork roast, haha.. =D I think it would go well to with schnitzel as a sauce and with sauerkraut, mustard and knödel dumplings at the side.

Thought I had commented on this! We made red tomato jam for the first time and it was luscious - a great alternative to ketchup. I love the way you spiced this - the cinnamon is a nice touch. I'd also like it with ginger. The squirrels and the chipmunks do get their fill from my garden. When we had our yellow lab, she would eat all the plum tomatoes. Even when blind, I'd change where the pots were and she would sniff them out.

I had to work with green tomatoes at the Cordon Bleu school, but we had to remove the skins first (oh, those finicky French chefs)! Boiling the tomatoes didn't work, so we had to sear the skins off with a blow torch. I think I prefer red tomatoes instead!

Hi Uru, green tomatoes are indeed underrated! Probably because the red ones are so good that we patiently wait for them to ripen so we can enjoy them. Unless the squirrels get them, of course. :-( Thanks for the comment.